Chapter 10 Admitting Mistakes
After a brief silence, the players quickly recovered from the shock of the teacher's sudden appearance.
The excitement of discovering the clue overwhelmed their fear, and their survival instinct drove them to immediately begin the next step of analysis.
With his exceptional memory, Jun Xiangbei was rapidly comparing the layout of the graduation photo and the location of the stains in his mind.
In the second row of the photo on the right, there is a boy with a large, rotten-looking stain on his cheek. Although his name is mostly covered by the stain, the first character vaguely resembles the word "Gao".
Based on the location and characteristics, and with the name "Takanosu" that was just found, the boy with the rotting face in the classroom is undoubtedly the most likely match.
The boy hung his head, hunched over, and remained motionless, but his exposed face and the back of his hands were covered with large patches of rotting skin, and his pale white bones were faintly visible.
His posture was somewhat awkward, as if his body was twisted unnaturally in several places.
However, the most severe signs of decay were on his face, which was infested with maggots, as if his face had suffered some serious injury.
"Target preliminarily confirmed." Jun Xiangbei's voice was very low, making sure only nearby players could hear him. "Second row by the window, boy with signs of decay. Suspected to correspond to Takanosu in the graduation photo."
Upon hearing this, Xin Yuan'er's curiosity overcame his fear, and he instinctively wanted to get closer to observe, hoping to find more concrete evidence.
However, as soon as he took a step, a cold gaze fell on him.
Zhuge Jin did not turn his head; the white veil remained facing forward. However, Xin Yuan'er clearly felt an invisible pressure that instantly froze him in place.
Xin Yuan'er heard Zhuge Jin's cold voice, like a whisper, yet carrying an undeniable warning:
“Those with deep-seated obsessions will manifest themselves in their physical form. Though their bodies decay, their pain remains deeply ingrained. Do not disturb the slumbering wounds, lest you bring trouble upon yourself.”
These words sound like a comment on that awful student, but also like a warning to Xin Yuan'er.
The deeper the obsession, the more distorted the outward appearance, which also means the stronger the inner pain and resentment. Approaching or provoking such a person rashly could very likely lead to unpredictable consequences.
Xin Yuan'er immediately shrank back and obediently retreated behind Zhuge Jin, daring not to make any further moves.
Upon hearing this, Di Wenzhou and Bai Muling's expressions became even more solemn, and the slight impetuousness that had arisen from finding the clues instantly vanished.
Jun looked north at Zhuge Jin, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.
He also sensed that the male ghost emanating from him had an even stronger and more unstable energy than Yan Ruxuan's.
Zhuge Jin's reminder was both timely and necessary.
“We need to be more cautious,” Jun Xiangbei concluded. “During the next break, try to communicate with him. The candidate…”
His gaze fell on Yue Qingqing. "It's still you. Your affability and good fortune are the most suitable guarantee at present."
His tone was purely calm, based on a cost-benefit analysis, devoid of any personal emotion.
Yue Qingqing's face paled slightly, but she still nodded vigorously, knowing that this was the best solution at the moment.
Soon, the next break between classes arrived.
The players' hearts were in their throats once again.
Encouraged by Jun Xiangbei's gaze, and under what she considered to be Zhuge Jin's unfathomable "gaze," Yue Qingqing mustered her courage once more and slowly walked toward the rotting boy in the corner.
Maintaining a safe distance, she took a deep breath and tentatively called out the name in the softest voice possible:
"Takanosu... classmate?"
The moment the words fell—
The rotting boy who had been hanging his head suddenly raised his head!
On his face, which was mostly rotting, the only remaining cloudy eyeball stared intently at Yue Qingqing, filled with violence and pain.
His body made a teeth-grinding "crackling" sound, as if multiple broken bones were forcibly twisting!
"I am not Takanosu!"
He suddenly let out a sharp, distorted shriek, his voice filled with anger at being misunderstood and deep-seated pain!
"You've mistaken me for someone else! Why are you calling me?! Why?!"
Intense black resentment erupted from his body as if it were a tangible substance, causing the surrounding temperature to drop sharply and filling the air with a nauseating stench.
Yue Qingqing was so terrified by this sudden and frightening reaction that she screamed involuntarily, staggering backward and nearly falling to the ground.
Jun Xiangbei reacted extremely quickly, instantly stepping forward to pull Yue Qingqing behind him, while simultaneously throwing a rhombus-shaped crystal that shimmered with a faint light.
A disposable intermediate-level protective gear.
The crystal unfurled a thin curtain of light in the air, barely managing to block the surging onslaught of resentment. The light curtain flickered violently, emitting a hum that seemed unable to bear the strain.
The live chat exploded instantly—
"Holy crap! How did that ghost explode?!"
"The consequences of calling someone by the wrong name are that serious?"
"This resentment is far more intense than Yan Ruxuan's; thankfully, the Lord God reacted quickly!"
"Yue Qingqing is terrified. Lord Jun, please take care of her. She is our team's future healer."
"Don't you know what kind of dog-like temper Jun Xiangbei has? Do you think you can persuade him?"
Reader comments float by here:
[I knew I'd mistaken him!]
Is there a misremembering detail in the graduation yearbook? Or are the stains misleading?
[Zhuge Jin had already warned us to be cautious.]
In the midst of this chaos—
Zhuge Jin's cold voice rang out again, piercing through the resentful roars and the players' panic:
"If the name is not its rightful owner, the soul will suffer the consequences. To know the truth, one must observe the wounds and perceive the pain, rather than merely calling out the name."
His words were like a cool spring, refreshing everyone's hearts.
If the name does not match the person, the soul will be punished.
To know the truth, we must observe his wounds and understand the root of his pain, rather than simply calling out a potentially wrong name.
This not only explains the current situation but also provides a clue for the next steps.
We must find more precise characteristic evidence that corresponds to the root cause of the other person's suffering!
However, misfortunes never come singly.
The outburst of resentment and unrest here has clearly touched a nerve regarding the rules once again.
At the end of the corridor, the figure of the male teacher wearing gold-rimmed glasses reappeared silently, like a ghost.
He wore that chillingly "warm" smile, his gaze precisely locked onto Yue Qingqing, who was still in shock and being protected by Jun Xiangbei.
“Yue Qingqing,” his voice was eerily gentle, “during break time, you harassed male students without cause, causing a disturbance and seriously affecting the harmonious atmosphere on campus.”
"One credit will be deducted. Remember, male and female students should maintain appropriate distance and politeness when interacting."
[Player Yue Qingqing has violated the rules and has been deducted 1 credit. Current credits: 1.]
The cold, impersonal system notification sounded like a final judgment, crashing down with deafening force.
Yue Qingqing's face turned deathly pale instantly, and her body swayed precariously.
It wasn't because of the points deduction, but because of this absurd and terrifying accusation. She was just trying to communicate, but it provoked the other party's violent reaction and the teacher's points deduction!
The backlash from the misidentification came in this unexpected way.
Di Wenzhou and Bai Muling looked horrified.
Xin Yuan'er was so frightened that he fell silent.
Jun Xiangbei's face darkened completely. His gaze toward the male teacher was cold and sharp, but he knew the inviolability of the rules and that a direct conflict could not occur at this moment.
The male teacher ignored the rotting boy who was still roaring and howling, as if the terrifying resentment and distortion did not exist.
He simply told Yue Qingqing about the point deduction decision, then glanced meaningfully at all the players present, especially Jun Xiangbei and Yue Qingqing behind him, as well as Zhuge Jin who was still sitting upright, before turning around and slowly leaving.
As soon as he left, the rotting boy's resentment seemed to lose its target, and his roars gradually subsided, transforming him back into the eerie figure sitting motionless in the corner with his head down, as if nothing had ever happened.
All that was left for the players was the disarray of their defeat and Yue Qingqing's credits being deducted once again.
The shadow of failure loomed over the area.
Jun Xiangbei retrieved the nearly broken protective gear. Looking at Yue Qingqing behind him, who was trembling and holding back tears in her eyes, a strange emotional fluctuation, similar to "annoyance" and "anger," came from the depths of the mechanical core.
He had calculated the risks and prepared protective gear, which theoretically could avoid the worst-case scenario, but... he underestimated the severity of the false positive, as well as the strictness and strangeness of the dungeon's rules.
His gaze involuntarily fell upon Zhuge Jin once again.
Zhuge Jin shook his head slightly, his white veil swaying gently, as if he had anticipated this outcome, or perhaps he was sighing at their recklessness.
"Observation is no child's play; a slight error can lead to a huge mistake." He spoke calmly, his tone devoid of emotion.
"The name of pain must be confirmed by pain itself. It is not what the eyes can see, but what the heart feels."
His words pulled everyone back to reality from their sense of defeat and pointed them in a new direction:
We cannot just look at the surface characteristics; we must understand and correspond to the deepest roots of their inner pain.
The boy's intense reaction might indicate that the name "Takanoshu" touched upon some extremely painful taboo for him.
Jun Xiangbei gazed at Zhuge Jin, and the stirring in his heart resurfaced, even more intensely than before.
This man... he always seems to see further and more clearly.
When he makes a mistake in his calculations and finds himself in a passive position, he can always provide the most crucial direction.
This sense of dependence... was an unprecedented experience for Jun Xiangbei, who was used to absolute control and protection.
His heart was being gradually pried open by this complex and intense attraction.
Zhuge Jin felt a sense of calm as he sensed Jun Xiangbei's increasingly focused gaze, which even carried a hint of barely perceptible dependence, and as the power of "trust" within him grew again due to this crisis and the hints.
Failure is also an important part of his script.
Only through setbacks can the value of the "prophet's" guidance be truly appreciated.
Only when faced with difficulties will the "audience" become more engaged.
Beneath his white veil, the corners of his lips curved into a smile that no one else could see.
The play is developing in the direction he expected.
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